Zuma's ineligibility to run for National Assembly seat won't impact ballot paper - IEC

JOHANNESBURG - The Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says former president Jacob Zuma’s ineligibility to run for a seat in the National Assembly will not impact the ballot paper in any way.

On Monday, the Constitutional Court barred Zuma from running for public office in next week’s election in a highly anticipated judgement.

READ: CASAC welcomes ConCourt decision to bar Zuma from elections

The apex court found that the Electoral Court had erred in its decision to give Zuma’s candidacy the thumbs up, despite his 15-month jail term for contempt.

The IEC had approached the Constitutional Court to clarify whether it had powers to enforce Section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution.

The section is about the eligibility of candidates to be members of the National Assembly.

Now that the matter has been settled by the highest court in the land, the IEC says it can continue with its preparations for the general elections without apprehension that they’ll be susceptible to challenge.

Despite being booted off the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party parliamentary list, Zuma is still the face of the MK Party.

The IEC has also confirmed that his photo will remain in the cluster of identifiers of the MK Party on the ballot paper.